Offset proof press mechanism



H. c; JONES OFFSET PROOF PRESS MECHANISM Filed Oct. 24, 1931 W Y mLIIEm-krll! CUM/ M ATTORNEY Je;9, 1936. v JONES OFFSET PROOF PRESSMECHANISM Filed Oct. 24, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w'llillll 4 v W nn 1 41 pINVENTOR Am ATTORNEY mmmmmnmnulm Wilma.

Patented June 9, 1936 UN! TIED S'TATES PATENT OFFICE 28 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanisms inwhich a cylinder is caused to.roll upon a platen in such manner that the circumferential surface-ofthe cylinder is in conformity with the surface .of the .platen over adefinite length of travel.

For the purpose .of illustration ronly, but by no means as restrictiveof the invention, ;a typical direct-geared impression-cylinder and bedpress, such as .an ofiset color proving press will be taken.

The diameter .of the cylinder, when ready for use and including theblanket, and the pitch diameterof the gears driving the cylinder must beuniform or discrepancies in work produced will occur, and the impressionwill :be .of different size than the original image.

Where, as usual, the toothed racks, :rigidly fixed (to the sides of thestationary platen, in the ,plane of its operative surface, used to causerotation of the gears secured to the ends ef the cylinder shaft,adjustment can only be .attained by building up under the blanket,which'is difiicult and takes time to do.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide positivemechanical means by which the circumferential surf-ace of the cylinders,used in the foregoing type of mechanisms, and its movement over theplaten surface, may be brought into correct relation.

A further feature is in the provision of .means whereby both of thecylinder drive gears may be accurately adjusted in harmony.

,Another purpose is to provide-a compensating device for anyinaccuracies in such cylinder and platen constructions whereby precisionin results is readily attainable .and without recourse to making changesin the diameter of the cylinders on the carriage in which they aremounted.

.A further aim is to provide such devices in forms which may be appliedto existing structures or incorporated in new machines.

These important objects, and .others of analogous nature,.areaccomplished by the novel construction and arrangement of partshereinafter described and illustrated the accompanying drawings, forminga material part of this .disclosure,-and in which:

Figure l is a plan viewof a conventional type of offset proving press inwhich is incorporated anrembodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of'the same.

Figure .3 .is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2and drawn to an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of therack adjusting device,the section being taken on line 4-4 .of Fig. .5.

Figure .5 is a side .elevation'al view .01 the .same showing the rackand bar constructions.

,Figure .6 is a fragmentary side view of .one end of the .raokbarshowing the adjusting means as moving the rack in one direction.

Figure 7 is a similar view showing the rack as moved in .the oppositedirection.

Stated in general terms, on offset proof presses it is necessary to havethe circumference of the roller, (cylinder), after a blanket has beenput on it, exactly the same as the pitch circumference of the gearsthatdrive it, inorder to cause the 'print to .be the same size as theimage -.on the plate, and also to prevent slurring of the print.

TMany other machines, .of similar structure (and operation, require.equal accuracy in adjustment, involving care, experience .and valuabletime.

One of the main objects of this invention is to provide .means by whichthe .exact amount of travel of a roller on a bed may be accuratelyadjusted, suchadjustment being a divisional part of the amount ofchange, or increment, that would'be produced by altering .the teeth inthe driving gears.

This ability becomes useful (especially in color work) when itis desiredto .place .an image, which is of continuous pattern nature, on :aroller, because it is diliicult to produce the original image of exactlycorrect size, and also cliflicult to-get a series of.rdllers all beingexactly .of thesame diameter.

Referring now to the drawings ingreater detall, the main frame of themachine is formed bya pair .of upright stands [5 arranged in 0pposedrelation and provided with upright elements to rest upon the floor,these stands being connectedat spaced intervals Iby cross .beams 16which support a platen or bed IT.

This platen is level throughout its length and is provided with meansnotshown-to secure upon it the article A to be copied and at another pointthe subject B on which image of the article is to be imprinted.

Carried on the sides of the frame members are racks 18 provided withaplurality of spacedlongitudinal slots I9 through which pass the bodiesof shouldered clamp :screws 20 threaded into-the frame.

,Meshed withtheseracks are gears 2| fixed on the ends .of .a cylindricalroller 22 mounted on ashaft 2.3, journalled in a carriage, and providedshouldered screws 28 carrying freely revoluble rolls 29.

These rolls travel on flanges I5 of the frame sides and are helddownwardly thereagainst by contact with the under side of the racks l8.

In order to compensate for any inaccuracies that may occur, the racks58, as has been noted,

are limitedly shiftable on the frame sides and are adjusted in thefollowing manner:

The frame sides 15 have forward extensions 30 containing vertical slots31 to receive shouldered screws 32 provided with check nuts, and onwhich are pivotally mounted the ends of channelled bars 33.

Fixed in the inner sides of the carriage elements 25 are shoulderedstuds 34 carrying rolls 35 which travel in the grooves 33 of the channelbars.

'The opposite ends of the channel bars 33 are increased in width, as at38 and carry fixed cylindrical bosses 31 provided with visible indexesor points 38.

Adjacent the inner ends of the bosses are openings 39 leading to slots40 in the walls of the bars, these slots being suited to receive closelyfitted pins 4|, the other, inner ends of which are similarly fitted totransversely oblique slots 42 in the outer end portion of the racks l8.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that as the roller carryingcarriage is moved along the platen, in either direction, the racks willbe forced in the opposite direction, due to the obliquity of the slotsby reason of their engagement with the pins 4| which are fixed indefinite relation to the channel bars 33, this arrangement being bestseen in Figs, 6 and '7. This action also may be reversed,

Rigidly fixed, transversely in the pins 4| are micrometric screws 45,preferably left hand for convenience in operation, these screws engagingnuts 46 revoluble in the bosses 31, the outer extending ends of the nutsbeing knurled, as at 41, and provided with bevelled dials carryinggraduations 48 readable in connection with the indexes 38.

The nuts 46 are prevented from longitudinal movement by collars 49disposed in the openings 39 to abut the inner ends of the bosses 31 andare held by set screws on the nut.

The extending ends of the screws 45 are provided with knurled nuts 50 tomaintain the micrometer screws in adjustment.

Although the improvements have been described with considerable detailand with respect to certain particular forms of the invention, it is notdesired to be limited to such details since many changes andmodifications may well be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention in its broadest aspect.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto secure by Letters Patent, is:-

means to move the rack lengthwise while in mesh with said gear, therebyto affect the amount of rotary movement of said gear and roller relativeto the bed on which said rack rests.

2. A machine having a bed, a rack at the side of said bed, a carriagemovable over the bed, said carriage having a roller journalled therein,a gear on said roller meshed with said rack, means to adjust the racklongitudinally while engaged with said gear and means for controllingthe rack adjusting means thereby to alter the amount of movement of thegear in relation to the bed on which the rack is adjustably secured.

3. A machine having a bed, a rack carried by said bed, a roller on saidbed having a gear meshed with said rack, and controlled means forcontinuously and uniformly moving said rack while meshed with said gear,thereby to produce a uniformly different degree of movement for the gearin relation to the bed than would be produced'byaltering the number ofteeth in the gear.

4. A machine having a bed, a roller to pass thereover, a driving meanson said roller, an element adjustably connected to said bed, and meansassociated with said driving means for continuously moving said elementwith respect to said bed while the driving means is moving so as toalter the travel of the roller relative to the bed.

5. A machine having a bed and a roller revoluble substantially incontact therewith, a pivi oted lever-like element movable continuouslywith said roller, means to modify the surface movement of said bed androller, said means operatively connecting the element and the roller.

6. A machine having a bed and a roller revoluble substantially incontact therewith, an element pivoted at one end and movable at theother in unison with said roller, and means operatively connecting theroller and the element to change the relative surface movement of saidbed and roller irrespective of direction of revolution of said roller. r

7. A machine having a fixed bed, a rack longitudinally adjustable at theside of said bed, said rack having an oblique transverse slot, acarriage movable over the bed, a roller revoluble in said carriage, agear at the ends of said roller meshed with said rack, a channel barhaving an adjustable pivot attached to one .end of said bed, a roll onsaid carriage operative in the channel of said bar, and a pin carried atthe opposite end of said bar operative in the rack slot.

8. A machine having a fixed bed, a longitudinal rack shiftable on saidbed, said rack having a transverse oblique groove near one end, acarriage having a roller movable over said bed, a gear on said rollermeshed with said rack, a bar alongside said rack, said bar having avertically adjustable pivot at one end, means on said carriage to raiseand lower said bar when moved over said bed, a pin carried by said barto operatively engage the oblique slot of said rack, and means to adjustthe position of said pin relative to said bar.

9. A machine having a fixed bed, a longitudinal rack shiftable on saidbed, a carriage having a roller geared to said rack and movablerelatively to the bed, and Variable means actuated by said carriage toshift said rack whereby to increase and decrease the effective movementof the carriage relatively to the bed.

10. A machine having a fixed bed, a longitudinal rack shiftable on saidbed, said rack having a transversely oblique groove near one end, acarriage having a roller movable over said bed,

agear on said roller meshed'with said rack; a bar alongside said rack,said bar having a vertically adjustable pivot at one end, means on saidcarriage to adjust the height of said bar relative to said rack whenmoving over said bed, a pin car ried-by said bar to engagethe obliqueslot of said rack whereby to shift the rack endwise, and micrometricmeans on said bar to vary the position of said pin. i

11. A machine having a fixed bed, a longitudinal rackshiftable on saidbed, a carriage having a roller geared to said rack, means controlled bythe movement of said carriage to increase and decrease the effectivemovement of the carriage relatively to the bed, and means independentlyadjustable to modify said controlling means.

12. A machine having a fixed bed, longitudinal racks shiftable on saidbed, a carriage having a roller geared to said racks, means controlledby the movement of said carriage to increase and decrease the eifectivemovement of the carriage relatively to the bed, and micrometric meansindependently adjustable for each rack to modify said controlling means.

13. A machine having a fixed bed, a carriage movable longitudinallythereover, a roller journalled in said carriage, rack bars limitedlyslidable along the sides of said bed, gears on the ends of said rollerto engage said bars thereby causing rotation of the gears, leversadjustably pivoted at one end of said bed, means on said carriage toadjust the height of said levers, and connections between said leversand bars whereby the bars are moved minutely lengthwise during travel ofsaid carriage.

14. A machine having a fixed bed, a carriage movable longitudinallythereover, said bed having longitudinal slots in its sides, pairs ofrolls on said carriage operatively engaged in the slots, a roller insaid carriage to travel at a predetermined height above said bed, racksadjustably secured on the sides of said bed, gears at the ends of saidroller in mesh with said racks, means operated by said carriage toadjust said racks longitudinally by minute increments, and means tocontrol the amount of movement imparted by said adjusting means.

15. A machine having a fixed bed, a carriage movable longitudinallythereover, a roller journalled in said carriage, positive means forminutely enhancing and retarding the peripheral surface speed of saidroller relative to the surface of said bed whereby complete concordancemay be attained and means for adjusting said first named means.

16. A machine having a bed and a roller revoluble substantially incontact therewith, an element pivoted at one end and movablesimultaneously with said roller, means associated with the other end ofthe element for predetermining the amount and the direction of themovement of said element, and means operatively connecting the elementand the roller to modify the relative surface movement of said bed androller.

17. A machine having a bed, a roller revoluble substantially in contacttherewith, a pivoted lever-like element movable continuously with saidroller, means for adjusting the swing of said element, and meansoperatively connecting the element and the roller to modify the surfacemovement of said bed and roller.

18. A machine having a bed and a roller revoluble substantially incontact therewith, an element pivoted at one end and movable at theother in unison with said roller, and means interposed mentlto the rackto control the movement of the 10 rack, and means for imparting movementto said element while the gear is meshed with the rack thereby to changethe relative travel of said roller and bed.

20. A machine having a fixed bed, a longitudi-- 151 nal rack shiftableon saidbed, a carriage having a roller geared to said rack, and meansactuated by said carriage to shift said rack whereby to increase anddecrease the effective relative movement of the carriage and the bed.

21. A machine having a fixed bed, longitudinal racks shiftable on saidbed, a carriage having a roller geared to said racks, pivoted meanscontrolled by the movement of said carriage to increase and decrease theeffective movement of the carriage, and micrometric means independentlyadjustable for each rack to modify said controlling means.

22. A machine having a fixed bed, a carriage movable longitudinallythereover, a roller jour- 3O nalled in said carriage, bars limitedlyslidable along the sides of said bed, means on the ends of said rollerto engage said bars thereby causing rotation of the said means, leversadjustably pivoted at one end of said bed, means on said carriage toadjust the height of said levers, and connections between said leversand bars whereby the bars are moved minutely lengthwise during travel ofsaid carriage.

23. In mechanism of the character described, a bed, a rotatable roller,means movable linearly relatively to the bed for supporting the roller,and means for maintaining equal the circumferential movement of theroller and the linear movement of said supporting means including a pairof cooperating members, one of said members being rotatable with theroller and linearly movable with said supporting means, and meansoperatively connected to said supporting means and to the other of saidmembers for controlling the movement of the other member linearly of thebed.

24. In mechanism of the character described, a bed, a rotatable rollerof variable outermost eifective diameter, means for supporting theroller, means for rotating the roller, means engaging the rollerrotating means for moving the roller linearly of the bed, and movablemeans operatively connected to the means for moving the roller, linearlyfor positively maintaining equal the linear and the circumferentialmovements of the roller independently of changes in the effectivediameter of the roller.

25. In mechanism of the character described, a bed, a revoluble rollermounted for movement linearly of the bed, and movable means operativelyconnected to the roller for positively maintaining equal the linear andthe circumferential movement of the roller independently of changes 7 inthe effective outermost .diameter of the roller including a pair ofcooperating linearly movable members, and rigid means for movi g one ofsaid members linearly and through a predetermined part of the totallinear movement thereof during the corresponding part of the linearmovement of the other member.

26. In mechanism of the character described, a bed, a revoluble rollermounted for movement linearly of the bed, and movable means operativelyconnected to theroller for positively maintaining equal the linear andthe circumferential movement of the roller independently of changes inthe effective outermost diameter of the roller including a pair ofcooperating movable mem-.- bers, means for rotating one of said members,and means forrlinearly moving and controlling the movement of the otherof said members.

2'7. A machine having a bed, a roller to pass over said bed, a rack, agear on said roller meshed with said rack, means engaging the rack andmovable relatively to and supported by the bed while the gear is meshedwith the rack for controlling the relative travel of said roller andbed, and means operatively connecting the gear andvthe control means toimpart movement to said control means.

28. A. machine having a bed and roller revoluble substantially incontact therewith, means, including an inclinable element pivoted at oneend and movable simultaneously with said roller, for modifying thesurface movement of said bed and roller, and means associated with saidroller to actuate said element.

HARRY C. JONES.

